The National Register of Historic Places is the official list
of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, it is part of a national program to coordinate
and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our
historic and archeological resources. The National Register is administered by
the National Park Service under the Secretary of the Interior.

Properties
listed in the National Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures,
and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology,
engineering, and culture. The National Register includes:

all historic
areas in the National Park System;

National Historic Landmarks that have
been designated by the Secretary of the Interior for their significance to all
Americans; and

properties significant to the Nation, State or community
which have been nominated by State historic preservation offices, Federal agencies,
and Tribal preservation offices, and have been approved by the National Park Service.

America's
historic places embody our unique spirit, character and identity. Representing
important historical trends and events, reflecting the lives of significant persons,
illustrating distinctive architectural engineering, and artistic design achievement,
and imparting information about America's past, historic places tell compelling
stories of the nation, and of the states and communities throughout the country.
The National Register of Historic Places helps preserve these significant historic
places by recognizing this irreplaceable heritage. Its primary goals are to foster
a national preservation ethic; promote a greater appreciation of America's heritage;
and increase and broaden the public's understanding and appreciation of historic
places.

The National Register encourages citizens,
public agencies, and private organizations to recognize and use the places of
our past to create livable and viable communities for the future.

National Recognition

I don't think without the National Register designation of the Warehouse district
we could have gotten the investor interest and the interest of public officials
in taking a bunch of old buildings that people were knocking down for parking
lots and turning them into a vibrant retail, residential, and office district."
(Hunter Morrison, City of Cleveland Planning Office)

Listing
properties in the National Register often changes the way communities perceive
their historic places and strengthens the credibility of efforts by private citizens
and public officials to preserve these resources as living parts of our communities.
Listing honors a property by recognizing its importance to its community, state,
or the Nation. The National Register, which recognizes the values of properties
as diverse as a dugout shelter of an Oklahoma pioneer settler, the Breakers Mansion
in Newport, and a 12,000-year-old prehistoric site, has helped many to appreciate
the richness and variety of the Nation's heritage.

One of the most common
questions that property owners have about the National Register is, "Will there
be restrictions on my property after listing?" Owners of private property listed
in the National Register have no obligation to open their properties to the public,
to restore them, or even to maintain them, if they choose not do so. Owners can
do anything they wish with their property provided that no Federal license, permit,
or funding is involved. For the private property owner, Federal funding for historic
buildings usually comes in the form of Federal tax credits for rehabilitation.
Owners of National Register properties who choose to participate in the preservation
tax incentive program must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation and receive approval by the National Park Service of the rehabilitation
project in order to receive the tax credit.

Local historical commissions,
design review committees, or special zoning ordinances are established by State
legislation or local ordinances, and are not part of the National Park Service's
National Register program. The State Historic Preservation Officer and the mayor,
city council or other community officials can provide information on any State
or local law which may affect a historic property.

Results of Listing in
the National Register:

Listing in the National Register honors
the property by recognizing its importance to its community, state, or the Nation.

Federal agencies, whose projects affect a listed property, must give
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment on the
project and its effects on the property. See "Federal Activities".

Owners of listed properties may be able to obtain Federal historic
preservation funding, when funds are available. In addition, Federal investment
tax credits for rehabilitation and other provisions may apply.

Owners
of private property listed in the National Register have no obligation to open
their properties to the public, to restore them, or even to maintain them, if
they choose not to do so. Owners can do anything they wish with their property
provided that no Federal license, permit, or funding is involved.

Preservation
Assistance

Private preservation efforts, spurred by the honor of
National Register listing and made feasible by financial incentives, have resulted
in a rise in the value of historic property and in the creation of construction,
business, and employment opportunities throughout the Nation. Documentation used
for evaluating and registering historic properties is the basis for decisions
about which properties merit tax incentives or available Federal, and, in some
cases, State and local assistance, and how these properties should be treated
to respect their historic character.

Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitation.

Since 1976, the Federal Internal Revenue Code has contained a variety
of incentives to encourage capital investment in historic buildings and to spur
revitalization of historic properties. These incentives, including a 20% investment
tax credit, encourage the preservation of historic commercial, industrial, and
rental residential buildings listed in the National Register by allowing favorable
tax treatments for rehabilitation and discouraging destruction of historic properties.
Owners of National Register properties who choose to participate in the preservation
tax incentive program must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation and receive approval by the National Park Service of the rehabilitation
project in order to receive the tax credit. Information about the Federal Historic
Preservation tax incentives program is on the Web at: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/tax/,
or can be obtained by contacting Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
at the address listed in the "Quick Reference"
section of this brochure. Information about this program can also be obtained
by contacting your State historic preservation office. Information on obtaining
the address and phone number for your State historic preservation office is also
found under the "Quick Reference" section.

Easement
Donations.

The Federal Internal Revenue Code also provides for Federal
income, estate, and gift tax deductions for charitable contributions of partial
interests in real property (land and buildings). Taxpayers' gifts of qualified
interests must be "exclusively for conservation purposes." One of these purposes
is defined as "the preservation of an historically important land area or certified
historic structure." Further information on easements may be obtained from the
sources listed above in the tax incentives section.

Federal Historic Preservation
Grants.

Owners of National Register listed properties may be able to obtain
Federal historic preservation funding, when funds are available. Information about
Federal historic preservation grant assistance is available on the Web at: www.nps.gov/history/hps/grants.htm.
or by contacting your State historic preservation office. Information on obtaining
the address and phone number for your State historic preservation office is found
under the "Quick Reference" section of this brochure.

State Historic Preservation Grants and Tax Programs.

States also
administer State grant assistance programs and many of them allow for property
tax abatements and State income tax credits for rehabilitated historic properties.
Information about State administered historic preservation grant assistance, property
tax abatement, and State income tax credit programs may be obtained by contacting
the appropriate State historic preservation office. Information on obtaining the
address and phone number for your State historic preservation office is found
under the "Quick Reference" section.

"Many New Mexico
communities are facing new development which, although it may be welcome from
an economic perspective, will mean change. At the same time, local officials and
private citizens are thinking more about preserving buildings, structures, roadway
corridors, archeological sites and places where 'important things' happened or
may yet happen, before they disappear. Through careful planning, new development
can proceed and New Mexico's cultural heritage can be preserved." (Excerpt from
Grass Roots Preservation, published by the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division)

The National Register
as a Preservation Planning Tool

Information gathered during identification,
evaluation, and registration is important in identifying preservation needs and
in planning protection strategies for historic places on a Federal, State, and
local level.

Federal Activities

Federal agencies
are required by law to locate, inventory, and nominate to the National Register
historic properties in Federal ownership or control. The Federal agencies also
are responsible for preserving historic properties under their ownership or control
and for assuring that any property that might qualify for inclusion in the National
Register is not inadvertently transferred, sold, demolished, substantially altered,
or allowed to deteriorate significantly. If, as a result of Federal action or
assistance, a historic property is to be substantially altered or demolished,
records are to be made for deposit in the Library of Congress or other agency
designated by the Secretary of the Interior, for future use and reference.

Agencies proposing projects that may affect a property listed in or eligible
for the National Register must allow the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (an independent Federal agency that provides a forum for
influencing Federal activities, programs, and policies as they affect
historic resources) an opportunity to comment prior to funding, licensing
or granting assistance on such projects. The law does not mandate preservation
by the Federal agency and its purpose is not to impede or halt development.
Rather this process assures that the value of historic properties is given
direct consideration in project planning decisions. For more information
on this process, go to the following Web site: www.achp.gov,
or contact the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at the address
given in the "Quick Reference" section

Consideration
of historic values is also a part of the decision to issue a surface coal mining
permit, in accordance with the Surface Mining and Control Act of 1977.

State
Activities and Tribal Activities

In addition to nominating historic properties
to the National Register, the State Historic Preservation Officer prepares and
implements a comprehensive Statewide Historic Preservation Plan, administers the
State program of Federal assistance for historic preservation within the State,
conducts a statewide survey of historic properties, assists in administering the
Federal preservation tax incentives, and cooperates with Federal, State, and local
officials and others to assure that historic properties listed in or eligible
for the National Register are taken into consideration at all levels of planning
and development. The State Historic Preservation Officer also provides public
information, education and training, and technical assistance relating to the
Federal and State historic preservation programs. Tribal Historic Preservation
Officers perform the same type of preservation planning activities as those performed
by the State Historic Preservation Officers. These activities, however are associated
with historic properties located on Tribal lands.

Local Activities

Jackson Ward Historic District, Richmond,
VA(Walter Smalling, Jr.)

Local
governments can receive Federal assistance for their preservation activities by
obtaining Certified Local Government status from the National Park Service and
the appropriate State historic preservation office. Certified Local Governments
receive small matching grants and technical assistance from the National Park
Service and the State historic preservation office to aid local preservation projects,
such as producing historic theme or context studies, cultural resource inventories,
assessments of properties to determine their eligibility for local and National
Register designation, building reuse and feasibility studies, design guidelines
and conservation ordinances, and publications to educate the public about the
benefits of historic preservation. For more information on the Certified Local
Government Program, go to the following Web site: www.nps.gov/history/hps/clg,
or contact the Certified Local Government Program at the address listed in the
"Quick Reference" section.

Nominations
and Listing Procedures

Anyone can prepare a nomination to the National Register, working with
the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer, Federal Preservation
Officer, or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. Their offices are
partners of the National Park Service and are responsible for surveying
and evaluating properties in their jurisdictions, determining which
of these properties are eligible for listing, working with individuals
to prepare nominations to the National Register, and officially nominating
properties to the National Register. The procedures for nominations
are found in 36 CFR Part
60, which is available on the Web at http://www.nps.gov/nr/regulations.htm.
36 CFR Part 60 can
also be obtained by contacting the National Register Reference Desk
at the address listed in the "Quick Reference" section.

State
Nominations

Ordinarily, local citizens or the staff of the State Historic
Preservation Officer prepare National Register nomination forms. Next, a State
review board, composed of professionals in the fields of American history, architectural
history, architecture, pre-contact and post-contact archeology, and other related
disciplines - and sometimes citizen members - reviews the nominations. This review
board makes a recommendation to the State Historic Preservation Officer either
to approve each nomination, if in the board's opinion it meets the National Register
criteria, or to disapprove the nomination if it does not.

During the time
the State Historic Preservation Officer is reviewing the proposed nomination,
property owners and local authorities are notified. All property owners are given
the opportunity to comment on the nomination. Owners of private property are given
the opportunity to concur in or object to the nomination. If the owner of a private
property (or the majority of such owners of a property) or a district with multiple
owners object to the nomination, the State Historic Preservation Officer forwards
the nomination to the National Park Service only for a determination about whether
the property is eligible for listing. If a majority of private property owners
do not object, the State Historic Preservation Officer may approve the nomination
and forward it to the National Park Service to be considered for listing. If the
property is approved by the National Park Service, it is officially entered in
the National Register.

Further information on the procedures to nominate properties to the
National Register and the preservation program within your State is
available from the appropriate State historic preservation office. You
can receive the address and phone number for your State historic preservation
office on the Web at http://www.nps.gov/nr/shpolist.htm
(note, this Web address does not begin with "www"), or by
contacting the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers
at the address listed in the "Quick Reference"
section.

Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, FL(Walter
Smalling, Jr.)

Federal Nominations

Nominations
to the National Register for properties under Federal ownership or control are
submitted to the National Park Service through Federal Preservation Officers appointed
by the agency heads. Federal agencies prepare National Register nominations, notify
local officials and provide the State Historic Preservation Officer an opportunity
to comment prior to sending nominations to the National Park Service. The Federal
Preservation Officer approves each nomination and forwards it to the National
Park Service for final consideration. If the National Park Service approves the
nomination, the property is officially entered in the National Register.

Information on Federal nominations to the National Register and other
preservation programs of Federal agencies is available from the Federal
Preservation Officer for each agency. A list of Federal Preservation Officers
is found on the Web at: www.achp.gov/federal.html
or by contacting the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, at the
address listed in the "Quick Reference"
section.

Tribal
Nominations

Nominations to the National Register for properties on Tribal
lands are submitted to the National Park Service through Tribal Historic Preservation
Officers appointed by each Tribal government. The process for considering nominations
is substantially equivalent to the process used by the State historic preservation
offices. Before a Tribe can assume these responsibilities, the Secretary of the
Interior must approve a Tribe's plan for carrying them out.

Detail of a commercial
building in the Strand Historic District, Galveston, TX
(Marcia Axtmann Smith Design/Communication)

Further
information on the procedures to nominate properties on Tribal land to the National
Register and the Tribal preservation programs is available from the appropriate
Tribal Preservation Officer. A list of Tribal Preservation Officers is available
on the Web at: www.nps.gov/history/hps/tribal
or by contacting the Tribal Historic Preservation Program at the address given
in the "Quick Reference" section.

Nominations
by Persons and Local Governments

The National Park Service may accept
a nomination directly from any person or local government for inclusion of a property
in the National Register if the property is located in a State where there is
no State Historic Preservation Program approved by the National Park Service.

Evaluating Properties for
Listing in the National Register

The National Park Service has established
a set of criteria that historic properties must meet in order to be eligible for
or listed in the National Register. The National Register's criteria for evaluating
the significance of historic places were developed to recognize the accomplishments
of all peoples who have made a contribution to our country's history and heritage.
The criteria are designed to guide State and local governments, Federal agencies,
Tribal governments and others in evaluating potential entries in the National
Register.

Criteria for Evaluation

The quality of significance in American
history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts,
sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location,
design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and:

a. that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution
to the broad patterns of our history; or

b. that are associated with
the lives of persons significant in our past; or

c. that embody
the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction,
or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values,
or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may
lack individual distinction; or

d. that have yielded, or may be likely
to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria
considerations

Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia,
PA(Walter Smalling, Jr.)

Ordinarily
cemeteries, birthplaces, or graves of historical figures, properties owned by
religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been
moved from their original locations, reconstructed historic buildings, properties
primarily commemorative in nature, and properties that have achieved significance
within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible for the National Register.
However, such properties will qualify if they are integral parts of districts
that meet the criteria, or if they fall within the following categories:

a. a religious property deriving primary significance from architectural
or artistic distinction or historical importance; or

b. a building
or structure removed from its original location but which is significant primarily
for architectural value, or which is the surviving structure most importantly
associated with a historic person or event; or

c. a birthplace or grave
of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no other appropriate
site or building directly associated with his productive life; or

d.
a cemetery that derives its primary significance from graves of persons
of transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from
association with historic events; or

e. a reconstructed building
when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified
manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other building or structure
with the same association has survived; or

f. a property primarily
commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has invested
it with its own historical significance; or

g. a property achieving
significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance.

Determinations
of Eligibility

The National Historic Preservation Act also gives the Keeper of the
National Register authority to determine that historic properties are
eligible for listing in the National Register, without formally listing
them. This occurs when Federal agencies request a determination of eligibility
to assist in their planning (see "Federal Activities").
Frequently, consensus on the National Register eligibility of a property,
that may be affected by a Federal project, is achieved between the Federal
agency, the State or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and any interested
parties, which may include Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations,
local governments, and permit or license applicants. When consensus
cannot be achieved between the parties, the Federal agency will request
the Keeper of the National Register to determine whether or not the
property is eligible. More information on this process is found in the
National Register procedures 36
CFR Part 63. In addition to the regulations, information can be
obtained from the following Web site www.achp.gov,
or by contacting the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at the
address given in the "Quick Reference"
section.

Recording a petrogylph at the Gottschall
Site rock shelter in Wisconsin(State Historical Society of Wisconsin)

Determinations
of eligibility also occur when:

The private property owner - or for
properties with more than one owner, a majority of private property owners - objects
to listing in the National Register;

National Park Service certifies
that State or local districts meet the National Register criteria for purposes
of Federal investment tax credits for rehabilitation;

The Secretary of
the Interior makes a unilateral determination of eligibility, after an investigation
and onsite inspection, when this action will assist in the preservation of a historic
property. The Secretary may make this determination in unusual circumstances

As
is the case with formal listing, determinations of eligibility do not restrict
the rights of private property owners to do what they wish with their property,
provided that no Federal license, permit, or funding is involved.

" There's a story beneath the ground, everywhere around historic buildings,
even where the buildings are gone. And the story is a dynamic story--it's not
a relic. What archeologists are trying to uncover is a way of life and a sequence
of events--time passing. That's an exciting part of a National Register historic
site." (William Kelso, Jamestown Rediscovery)

National
Historic Landmarks

To recognize the national significance of properties
that possess exceptional values or qualities in illustrating or interpreting the
heritage of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior designates some historic
places as National Historic Landmarks. National Park Service historians and archeologists
study and evaluate these properties within the context of major themes of American
history. Properties judged to be nationally significant are nominated by the National
Park Service and forwarded to the National Park System Advisory Board, which may
recommend to the Secretary of the Interior that the property be designated a National
Historic Landmark. If not previously listed in the National Register, National
Historic Landmarks are automatically listed in the Register when they are designated.
For more information on the National Historic Landmarks program, go to: www.nps.gov/history/nhl,
or contact the National Historic Landmark Survey at the address listed in the
"Quick Reference" section.

The preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest
so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic,
and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of
Americans. --from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

Research,
Education, Tourism, and Technical Assistance

The National Register
is a rich source of information for public education, interpretation, tourism,
and research on our past and the places that document the contributions of all
people. Detailed information about the National Register and its various research,
education, tourism, and technical assistance efforts is located on the National
Register homepage at: www.nps.gov/nr.

The
National Register Collection and the National Register Information System

The
National Register Collection documents the properties listed in and determined
eligible for the Register. The documentation on each property provides a physical
description of the place, information about its history and significance, a bibliography,
photographs, and maps.. Researchers can take advantage of this unparalleled collection
in a number of ways. The National Register Information System (NRIS), a computerized
index to the National Register, is available to the public through the Web at:
http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/. Researchers can visit the
National Register collection at 1201 Eye St, NW, in Washington, D.C.
between 9 am--noon, Monday through Thursday except Federal holidays.
Copies of individual nominations can be received by contacting the National Register
Reference Desk at the address given in the "Quick Reference"
section.

Teaching
with Historic Places

Interior of the Alabama Theatre, Birmingham,
AL(Jack Boucher, HABS)

Teaching
with Historic Places (TwHP) is an educational program that uses places listed
in the National Register to enhance traditional classroom instruction of history,
social studies, geography, and other subjects. Whether or not they can visit a
site, students can investigate historic places near and far and discover how places
all around us in our communities and States reflect broad themes in American history
and connect us to the past. Through lesson plans, workshops and technical guidance,
and an extensive Web site, TwHP provides information on topics such as using places
in education; writing lesson plans; deciphering clues in the physical evidence
of historic places; and forming interdisciplinary collaborations. The cornerstone
of TwHP is a series of tested classroom lesson plans written by historians, educators,
preservationists, historic site interpreters, and teams, and accessible in print,
on the Web, or both. Teachers and others can search online lesson plans by theme,
State, or historic time period. For more information on the program, and for a
complete list of available lessons, visit the following Web site: www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/.

The historical and
cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our
community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the
American people. (Excerpt, from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966)

Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series

The
National Register promotes heritage tourism through the Discover Our Shared
Heritage travel itinerary series. The itineraries, some of which are available
in print, others exclusively on the National Register Web site, explore a historic
theme, region, or city by highlighting, describing and linking properties listed
in the National Register. Each itinerary is a self-guided tour that provides descriptions
of the properties, maps, and links to other pertinent Web sites. For more information,
go to the following Web site: www.nps.gov/nr/travel,
or contact Discover Our Shared Heritage at the address listed in the "Quick
Reference" section.

"Aliiolani Hale (Honolulu, Hawaii) was placed on the National Register
in 1972. I think being on the Register is important not only for the people who
live here, but it serves as a symbol to the Nation that this building is important
because of its contribution to our national history, as well as to State history.
I think it's important for people to understand that there are very unique differences
throughout the Nation." (T. Lani Ma'a Lapilio, Executive Director, Judiciary
History Center)

Certified Local Government
Program

Quotes from individuals
used through this brochure are taken from the video, American Legacy: The Work
of the National Register of Historic Places. Information on obtaining the Video
is found on the National Register Web site at www.nps.gov/nr/publications/books.htm
or by writing to the National Register at:
National Register of Historic Places
National Park Service
1849 C Street, NW, MS 2280
Washington, DC 20240